Huddersfield made a dream start to their first ever Premier League season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Widely dismissed as contenders for relegation before they had even kicked a ball, they produced a typically-energetic display to outclass their experienced hosts, earn three vital points and climb to first place.

Their season may yet descend into a battle for survival, but after Joel Ward’s own goal, two fine finishes from club-record signing Steve Mounie gave David Wagner and his team significant reason to believe they may yet be capable of more.

Huddersfield made a dream start to their first ever Premier League season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Widely dismissed as contenders for relegation before they had even kicked a ball, they produced a typically-energetic display to outclass their experienced hosts, earn three vital points and climb to first place.

Their season may yet descend into a battle for survival, but after Joel Ward’s own goal, two fine finishes from club-record signing Steve Mounie gave David Wagner and his team significant reason to believe they may yet be capable of more.

Palace had also begun the season with renewed optimism amid Frank de Boer’s appointment as manager, but in his first competitive game they showed little to suggest theirs will not become another struggle.

What they said

Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer: “We lost the game in 15 minutes,” said the Dutchman, 47. We started quite well and then after 10 minutes we made the wrong choices and we were pulled back. From there they got a corner and scored.”Huddersfield manager David Wagner: “We should not look too far ahead. We should focus on what we have seen and that made me very happy. You cannot moan if you play your first game in the top flight in 45 years and you win 3-0 away. We know we were very clinical and had bit of luck when they missed chances.”

Star man

Steve Mounie: Little was known about the club’s record signing, but two goals on his debut suggest he will prove both a fine addition to their team and provide the cutting edge they ened to survive in the Premier League

View from the bench

David Wagner’s first ever game as a Premier League manager, and Huddersfield’s first ever game as a Premier League team, could barely have gone any better.

His new signings already look to have adjusted to the system that inspired promotion from the Championship, providing significant cause for optimism surrounding their prospects for survival.

This also represented Frank de Boer’s first ever game in the Premier League, and if it could have gone no better for Wagner, the only way it could have been any worse for the Dutchman was if any of his players had suffered a serious injury.

They will likely gradually improve, but on this showing the manager will need patience because his squad appears to require time to adjust to his ideas.

Moment of the match

Tom Ince was denied a goal by a last ditch tackle from Joel Ward (Scott Heavey/PA)

In the 29th minute, having already conceded an own goal, Joel Ward raced back to produce a truly outstanding sliding tackle to dispossess Tom Ince when the forward was one-on-one with Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. It was a moment of defensive quality that some of the world’s finest players will struggle to surpass this season.

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